Our Diary of the little changes we are creating in the lives of Melghat adivasis

Thursday, 15 September 2011

Miracle of dedicated scientific efforts-Muskan

Muskaan: Premature baby saved by VHWShe always expected this moment to be the most memorable of her life, but when Munnibai gave birth to her daughter ‘Muskaan’ in 2006, she did not even want to hold her. “My daughter was born premature in the seventh month. She was smaller than a rat; I didn't even want to carry her in my lap.”

Muskaan was born weighing 800 grams as opposed to a normal birth weight of 2.5 kilograms and above. This is the reality of many mothers living in the tribal area of Melghat. Every year around 500 children die before they reach five years of age mainly due to low birth weight & prematurity in Melghat.

Being a premature, baby was put in an incubator at the government local hospital but she continued with the same weight and suffered from diarrhea. Finding that it didn't help, Munnibai returned home to her village.

'Muskaan'Shameem a MAHAN Village Health Worker working in Munnibai's village, came to know about Munnibai's daughter. She immediately took her under her care. “Shameem moushi (aunty) used to visitat least thrice a week, giving her vitamin injections, providing special food and wrapping her in a blanket. Slowly Muskaan began to put on weight.”

Shameem knew that Muskaan would be a challenge to treat but she did not back off. Referring to MAHAN's Pande she says, “Pandeji used to direct me. She began to put on an additional 200 grams per week after we began to treat her. In a month's time she was 1.5 kg.”

Today Muskaan is five years old, healthy and an energetic child at school. With a sigh of relief her mother can only describe her present state of mind as 'I am happy'. “Shameem moushi tells us that we must keep in touch with her if Muskaan has any illness”, she adds.

Dr. Mrs. Dani a reputed doctor from Nagpur who volunteers eight days per monthat MAHAN, when came across the case in 2006, she thought that Muskaan would be a lost cause. “Medically speaking the child would be written off. But through the Aarogya Doot program it was possible to provide the care and support required to bring the child back to health and quickly. I am proud of the work that was achieved by Shameem.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------